With the increased notoriety of Jeffrey Dahmer due to the recently-released Netflix series, “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” many people have taken this as inspiration for their Halloween costume.

Jeffrey Dahmer was responsible for killing 17 people. Take a minute to think of the magnitude of this. That’s 17 people who never got to experience another birthday, another hug, or another conversation with their mother.

Additionally, think of the unimaginable trauma their friends and family endured. Seeing people dressed as the person who took so much from them could reopen old wounds. There is no telling what kind of pain this could inflict on the still-living loved ones of the victims.

Jeffrey Dahmer is not a name that should go down in history. Giving him this fame and attention puts him on a pedestal, even if it’s for being evil. People like him do not deserve to be remembered.

Regardless, glorifying a monster like Jeffrey Dahmer by dressing up as him lessens the horrors of his actions.

Many may argue that dressing up as a serial killer is the norm for Halloween because it is a night of horror. The difference between dressing up as Hannibal Lecter or Jason Voorhees versus Jeffrey Dahmer is that one of them committed heinous acts while the other two are fictional boogeymen.

If you planned on dressing as Dahmer this Halloween, take a minute and think about the unintended consequences that come with normalizing a real-life serial killer.

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.